It’s taken a while for Trebor Peña to carve out a role with Syracuse. But this year, the redshirt junior is having one of the program’s best seasons for a wide receiver since it joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013.
Peña barely saw the field across his first four seasons at SU. A 98-yard kickoff return touchdown during his true freshman season elicited excitement, but little production followed. He had just one catch that year, and two in 2021. He earned solid playing time as a wideout in 2022, then didn’t register an offensive statistic the next year due to a season-ending injury.
Everything has changed this year, though. The slot receiver has become quarterback Kyle McCord’s No. 1 option. Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon has schemed routes for Peña to travel all over the field, mostly excelling in shallow and deep depths of target. As a result, he’s set career-highs in every receiving category, including a team-best 736 yards…